Summer is all about fun and relaxation – spending time with friends, getting outside, enjoying time off. That’s why it’s the best time to embrace the natural state of your hair. If it’s naturally curly, let it be curly! If your hair is super straight, don’t try to force a curl into it.
Work with what you have instead of against it for healthy, manageable hair all summer long.
Prevent Damage
Exposure to the sun’s UV rays, salty or chlorinated water and high humidity can strip your hair color, and cause split ends, dryness and extra frizz.
Your best defense? Daily conditioner. A creamy formula is best for women with thick or wavy hair. If your hair is thin or fine, try a lightweight leave-in conditioner. Your hair will be moisturized without feeling weighed down.
Prevention doesn’t end when you step out of the shower. Before you head into the sun, grab a hat or use an SPF spray made specifically to protect your hair. UV rays can fade dark hair color and cause highlights to appear brassy or bleached out.
Another color changer? Chlorine. If you jump into the pool with dry hair, your strands will suck up all that chlorine- not good! Before taking the plunge, rinse your hair with non-chlorinated water. This cuts down on the amount of space available within your strands to take on chlorine.
Finally, step away from the hairdryer. It may not be possible to stash your dryer under the sink for the whole summer. But cutting down on the amount of time you spend blasting your hair will go a long way toward maintaining healthy, frizz-free locks. Rely on lightweight mousse or gel to give your hair a bit of shape. Let it air-dry and then try one of these fuss-free styles.
Braid & Bun
Summer hair doesn’t have to look perfect. In fact, this style looks even better a little windblown.
- Start with dry hair. Create a deep side part.
- Pull two 1” sections of hair from either side of your part, along the hairline. Braid the sections back toward your ears, leaving the ends unsecured. The ends will be pulled back into a ponytail with the rest of your hair. If your braids are too short to integrate into the ponytail, use bobby pins to hide and secure the ends.
- Gather your hair into a low ponytail at the nape of your neck. Pull hair through an elastic band once (or twice, depending on the thickness of your hair).
- Pull hair halfway through the band one more time, but stop just short of pulling the tail all the way through. You should have a loop of hair. Either tuck the ends under for a polished bun or fan them out so they look loose and casual.
Make this style extra flirty by pulling the bun off to one side, securing low behind one ear.
High-End Ponytail
This voluminous ponytail is a cinch, once you get the hang of it.
- Beginning on one side of your head at the temple, pull a fine-toothed comb straight back. Gather hair in one hand.
- With the other hand, repeat on the other side of your head. Gather all the hair that you pulled back off your crown in one hand. Hold it vertically. Mist with hairspray from the back, sides and front.
- Still holding the section of hair vertically, lightly tease from the back. Release hair.
- Pull the comb through sides of hair, pulling tight against your scalp.
- Gather the sides and back of your hair into a high ponytail at the back of your head, toward the center. Secure with an elastic band.
- Gather the teased section of thehair, pull back toward ponytail and secure with a bobby pin. Make sure to leave a little volume. Smooth with a comb if needed.
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Thanks to Sara of Bombshell Beauty for writing this article for Misikko!
Bun photo courtesy of About.com.
